MANILA,Philippines — Each year, an estimated eight million tons of plastic end up in the ocean or equivalent to a full garbage truck dumped every minute, the United Nations environmental agency said yesterday.
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) estimated that 60 to 90 percent of the litter that accumulates on shorelines, sea surface and floor are made of plastic.
The most common items are cigarette butts, bags and food and beverage containers.
“Marine litter harms over 800 marine species, 15 of which are endangered. Plastics consumed by marine species enters the human food chain through fish consumption,” the UNEP said.
“Alarmingly, in the last 20 years, the proliferation of microplastics, microbeads and single-use plastics have made this problem even more pronounced,” it said.
Most people associate marine plastic pollution with what they can see along coastlines or floating on sea surfaces.
UNEP said that microplastics and microbeads pose a hidden challenge as they are “out of sight and out of mind.”